End-play device for rotary machines.



No. 669,630. Patented Mar. 12, I901. H. GEISE-NHONER.

END PLAY DEVICE FOR ROTARY MACHINES..

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1900.;

(No Model.)

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P NITED STATES Parent tries.

HENRY GEISENHONER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

END=PLAY [DEVlCE FDR RGTARY WlAGlllNES.

SEECIL IOATIQN forming part of Letters Itatent .hlo. 669,630, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed January 20, 1900. Serial No. 21115. (No model.)

T or whbm/ it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY Gnisnnrioivnn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Play Devices for Rotary Machines, (Case No. 1,486,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for maintaining end play of the shafts of electric machines, such as certain types of generators and motors and rotary electric converters. In such machines where the rotary element is free to obey its own tendency to move laterally in its bearings, as in cases where no driving or driven belt is connected to the moving element, objectionable results follow from the movement of the brushes bearing on the commutator or collector rings, which follow the same track and wear grooves which prevent their best operation, interfering with the successful transmission of current across the bearing-surfaces of the brush and also giving the latter a tendency to jump from engagement with the edge walls of the groove. Besides this, the shaft-bearings do not get a proper distribution of lubricant, from lack of lateral play, and the friction is greater. It has heretofore been proposed to correct these objectionable results by maintaining a backand-forth lateral movement of the shaft by positive means periodically called into action. These means have heretofore been usually electromagnetic in character,electromagnetic devices being called into action by an electric circuit closed when the shaft reaches one limit of its lateral traverse, the electromagnet serving to pull it to the opposite limit of its traverse, and thereby causing a periodic to-and-fro play of the shaft in its bearings, which conduces to uniform wear on the commutator or collector and effectively distributes oilon the journals. My invention differs from these devices in the particular that it is solely mechanical in its operation and is of much greater simplicity of construction. It consists, essentially, in permitting the shaft to play within certain limits unobstructedly; but when it reaches a certain limit in one di- 50 rection it is given a mechanical thrust in the opposite direction.

in carrying out my invention I prefer to employ as the thrusting agency an inclined surface with relation to a plane normal to the shaft, which is engaged by a cooperating device intermittently or at periodical times, thereby giving to the shaft a lateral thrust throwing the engaging parts out of contact and repeating this operation as often as the parts are brought in contact. The relation of this inclined thrust-surface to its cooperating element may be variously carried out. A very effective form comprises a plate supported opposite the end of the shaft and inclined with relation to the axis of the same, in the face of which is mounted a steel ball contained within a circular groove in the face of the plate. VJhen the shaft under the normal bias given by the magnetic field settles into contact with the ball, mechanicalengagem ent causes the ball to roll around the groove in the inclined surface, thereby giving the shaft a positive thrust outward and disengaging it from the ball, permitting the latter to roll to the bottom of the groove, and when the shaft again settles back into contact with the ball repeating the process, thereby producing a to-and-fro movement of the shaft and causing uniformity in the wear of the com mutator or collector.

My invention therefore consists of a movable element having a normal bias toward a certain position of adjustment and mechanical means for thrusting it outward against such bias at intervals.

It involves also other features, which will be hereinafter more fully described and will be definitely indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view of an effective organization embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rotary converter embodying my improvements. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the commutator end of such a converter, and Fig. e is a sectional detail showing how the bias or tendency of the shaft to drift in one direction may be given by means of the fieldmagnet.

1 represents the shaft of an electric machine, such as any of the types hereinbefore mentioned, and 2 one of the standards in which one end of the shaft is mounted. The hearing may be of any approved type, that shown in the drawings being of a form found effective in practice and comprising a castmetal box provided with an oil well or cellar 3, in which is supported on a circular seat in the casting a cylindrical journal-box a, pro- Vided with an antifriction-lining 5 and oil feed rings 6 6. This being a construction commonly employed in practice, I do not deem it necessary to particularly describe it. On the end of the shaft I mount a hardenedsteel shoe 7. Across the end of the box is a yoke 8, which carries a thrust-disk 9, which forms particularly a part of my invention. This is so set with relation to the shaft that its face retreats from the top dowmvardly. In the front of the disk is cut acircular groove, the wall of which is case-hardened and ground V-shaped in cross-section, as shown at 10, forming a pocket in which is placed a hardened-steel ball 11. A. retainer-plate 12 keeps the ball from dropping outof the groove when it rolls to the bottom. The groove is of such a depth as to permit the ball to project beyond the face of the retainer plate. The thrust-disk is mounted in horizontal ways 13 13, which act as guides for transverse grooves at opposite diametricai points. The opposite sides of the thrust-plate are curved on a circle concentric with the center of the opposite side of the groove-axis to prevent binding on the fixed guides. The back of the thrustdisk engages the four arms of a leaf-spring 14, with Which cooperates an adjusting-screwlo. The shaft is mounted so as to permit a definite amount of end play, as indicated by the position of the thrust-collar lb. The brushes should be so set that the edges of their tread will not be separated by a distance greater than the amount of this end play. It is the usual custom to arrange them in different circumferential positions and stagger them, so as to cause their treads to overlap, or they may be set side by side and close together, as indicated in Fig. 3. In either event if the shaft is caused to move back and forth it is evident that the entire surface of the com mutat-or or collector within the extreme limits of the outer brushes will be evenly worn. The amount of play may be varied by changing the adjustment of the screw 15.

In the condition shown in Fig. 1 the ball is represented at the top of its groove and the shaft is in the act of being thrust in the opposite direction to its normal bias, which in the present case is given by the field-mag net 17. The ball being then free drops to the position indicated in dotted lines, and the shaft continues to revolve free from contact with the mechanical thrusting device until it settles back to a position where the bottom of the shaft will engage the ball in the dotted-line position, the rotary movement of the shaft then causing the ball to roll up the circular groove, which imparts a quick outward thrust to the shaft, and when it arrives at the position indicated in full lines causing a second disengagement of the parts. This process will be repeated from time to time, and uniform wear of the commutator or collector will be effected.

It will be evident that in so far as the toand-fro play of the shaft is concerned my invention is applicable to any type of machine not belt-connected,since, as already observed, it provides for an effective distribution ofoil over the surfaces of the bearings.

The term periodically as applied herein to define the to-and-fro play of the shaft is employed not in a strictly mathematical sense, as the periods will vary slightly in length,due to variations of friction variations in field strength, and other causes, but the to-and-fro motions will be substantially regular.

What I claim at new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Means for maintaining uniform wear on comm utators or collectors, comprising a comm ut-ator and brush relatively movable the movable element having a limited lateral play and a normal bias in one direction and a mechanical thrust device, having a relative rotary movement with respect to said element, to give it a lateral thrust against said bias at intervals? 2. Means for maintaining uniform wear on commutators or collectors, comprising a rotary element having a limited end play and a normal bias in one direction, and a thrust device for impelling it in the other direction, comprising a thrust-surface inclined to the axis of the element, and a cooperating thrust member periodically or intermittently engaging said surface.

3. Means for maintaining a to-and-fro lateral motion in the journals of rotary machines, comprising a shaft having a limited end play, a thrust-surface inclined to the axis of the shaft, and a cooperating member engaged periodically or intermittently by the surface and moving overits inclined face to impel the shaft to one end of its limit of play.

4. Means for maintaining a to-and-fro lat eral motion in the journals of rotary machines, comprising a shaft having a limited end play, and a thrust-surface set at an angle to the shaft-axis and engaging it laterally at one limit of its play, the shaft being free to obey the outward impulse of the thrustsurface.

5. Means for maintaining a to-and-fro lat eral motion in the journals of rotary ma chines, comprising a shaft having a limited end play, and a thrust device at the end of the shaft having an inclined engaging face.

6. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate having an engaging face inclined'to the end of the shaft, and a roller-contact between the plate and shaft.

7. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate mounted opposite the end of the shaft and inclined. to its axis,

and a ball rolling in a groove along the surface of contact.

8. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate mounted opposite the end of the shaft, and a ball rolling in a circular groove along the surface of contact inclined with relation to the axis of the shaft.

9. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a ball mounted in a circular groove on an inclined plane transverse to the shaft, and a part carried by the shaft engaged by the ball.

10. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate opposite the end of the shaft adapted to shift away when engaged, an antifriction contact between the same and the shaft end, and an elastic backstop for the thrust-plate.

11. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate elastically mounted opposite the end of the shaft and inclined relatively thereto to impart a thrust periodic ally to the shaft.

12. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate elastically mounted opposite the end of the shaft and inclined relatively thereto, and a movable projection between the shaft and plate to effect engagement and impart lateral thrust.

13. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrustplate elastically supported at the end of the shaft inclined relatively thereto, and means for adjusting the plate toward the shaft.

14. An end-play device for rotary machines, comprising a thrust-plate fixed against rotary movement and supported in an inclined position at the end of a shaft, and an antifriction-contact surface of engagement between the shaft and plate.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of January, 190Q.

HENRY GEISENI'IONER.

Vl/ itnesses:

BENJAMIN B; HULL, MABEL E. JAOOBSON. 

